Last year’s Mortal Kombat reboot was exactly what the die-hard fans wanted. Those same hardcore followers should also be intrigued by the upcoming PlayStation Vita iteration, which is essentially a port of the PlayStation 3 version with plenty of new portable-specific features. Boasting all four DLC characters (Freddy Krueger, Skarlet, Rain, and Kenshi), extra outfits, new fatalities, and slick touchscreen action, MK on the go should be a complete and rewarding experience.

Developer NetherRealm has already said to expect a fantastic-looking game, as they worked hard to maintain the visual quality of the PS3 version. The frame rate should remain locked in at 60 frames per second and with the graphical power of Sony’s handheld device, we’ll likely receive one of the most impressive portable presentations yet. You can see the game in action thanks to a recent PlayStation Blog video; the sharpness and clarity is beautiful, and the amount of detail is amazing (especially for the handheld realm).

New gameplay elements will be introduced as well; most importantly, the addition of touchscreen functions. Once a special meter has filled, you can simply tap an on-screen icon and execute a series of devastating combos, and you can perform fatalities with the touchscreen, too. Maybe that’ll prove easier than pressing the actual buttons, but we’ll have to wait and see… For my part, the fatalities in the MK franchise have always been a little erratic and touchy; i.e., “damnit, I did it right, why didn’t it work?!”

So maybe the touchscreen will allow us to punish our opponent with even greater ease. That being said, you’ll doubtless want to stick to the regular buttons for standard combat because after all, super fast and precise inputs are required in a fighter. But the new stuff doesn’t end with the touchscreen and all that DLC from the PS3 version; there’s also plenty of other content. This one will offer no less than 150 new Challenge Missions, which will also take advantage of the touchscreen, and a new Test Your Balance mode.

The reason there are so many new Missions is actually because NetherRealm didn’t have time to include them all in the PS3 version. For instance, you were supposed to be able to play as Shao Kahn in one of the challenge maps, but he didn’t quite make it. So he missed the PS3 but he’ll be in the Vita installment. See what I mean? Overall, in terms of brutal combat while you’re out and about, you’re unlikely to find a better option than Mortal Kombat. At least, not for a while.